THE RECENT VISITORS.

Gisborne Times, Volume IX, Issue 847, 23 March 1903, Page 4

THE RECENT VISITORS.

COMMENTS UN ..ORD HAWKE’S

TEAM

Some strong things have been written about the “superior mannahs” of the cricketing team that recently toured the colonies. “ Zamiel,” in the Auckland Star, thus rubs it in :

1 don’t suppose that everything one hears about these young men is literally true, and I know that many of the stories can apply to only a few members of the party. Rut I will venture to say that no athletes who have ever visited New Zealand have produced so bad an impression upon the mind of the general public, or earned so unenviable a reputation. On the field the sharp practice ot which they were guilty at Greyrnouth, and their outrageous behaviour to the umpire and certain Canterbury players at Christchurch, have opened our eyes to unexpected possibilities in English amateur cricket. But I am thinking rather of their social history during the tour ; and 1 repeat that even if all the stories told about them are not quite fair to them, they have given us most positive proof that they are the kind ot men about whom you can freely say that kind of thing. When young amateurs indignanyy refuse to share a dressing-room with their professionals, or even to stay at the same hotel with them, and inform any body who cares to listen, that there is no “society ” good enough in the colony for them to associate with, it is fairly plain that they made a mistake in coming to this colony. We don't understand social distinctions in athletics here. When 22 men play cricket together, or 30 men play football, they are for the time-being on a footing of absolute equality ; and any attempt to assert any kind of social superiority becomes at once ludicrous and detestable. I' may remark, in passing, that this sort of thing was particularly offensive in the present instance because the two professionals were, by all accounts, thoroughly good fellows and much more gentlemanly in their conduct than most of the amateur members of the team. However, to illustrate what 1 mean about the social habits of these young men, 1 will relate a story which comes 10 me backed by a strong guaranies ut accuracy and which, considering ihe ui.uupciKhable evidence laid befme me, I led compelled to accept as absolutely ana literaiiy true.

A prominent member of the English team, just before he left Wellington lor the West Coast, asked a well-known official of the lubal Cricket Association to send on to Christchurch copies of bis photograph taken during the Wellington match. Certainly ; the official was nappy to oblige a distinguished stranger. Ihe photos were sent, and when the )■ nglishmen came back to Wellington the amateur in question was duly informed that he owed the Wellington man ten shillings. Photographs? He didn’t remember anything about them —couldn’t have got them. However, our Wellington friend managed after a little argument to quicken the amateur’s memory. “ Oh, yes—quite forgot 1 See, here, old man, i’ll pay you that ten shillings to-morrow.’’ Now, the Wellingtonian was somewhat worldly wise, and the speech had a familiar ring in vulgar parlance, he had “ been there before.’’ So he waited on the Englishman at the appointed hour, and for three successivedays that distinguished stranger gallantly defended the half-sovereign from the obstinate assaults of the colonial. The Wellingtonian lay in wait for him at the end of the match, but the amateur engineered a clever retreat to his hotel. Then came the day of departure, and our Wellington friend, now thoroughly roused, resolved to go down to the wharf and “show up” the amateur before the team and the crowd. When the distinguished visitor appeared at the gangway, the gentleman who had sent the photographs once more renewed the attack in a very decided tone. But the Englishman was equal to the occasion. “By Jove,” he said, with an injured air, turning to his three companions, “here’s a fellow says I owe him half a sov., any of you fellows got change?” The Wellingtonian was not quite prepared for this, but as the obliging friend was about to ptoduce the shy, reluctant coin, he explained with some vigor that his business was with Amateur No. 1. However, that gentleman had taken advantage ol the diversion to decamp, and he did not appear on the vessel’s deck till she had cast oft and was some distance from the wharf. A sympathetic tpepiber of the team ventured to assure the Wellingtonian that the halfsov. would be duly forwarded, but from the impecunious and evasive amateur there came no sign. Now, this story, I have good reason to believe, is literally accurate in all particulars, and it throws some light upon various unpleasant legends of a similar nature that are still floating about in the wake of Mr Warner’s team. Putting together what we know to be true about these young men, qnd what we feel justified in believing, I can only hope that certain members of the team will never put into execution Mr Warner’s threat of returning to visit us again. If this kind of thing is the outcome of English public school training, then, as a Southern paper piously ejaculates, “ May the Lofd deliver us from the English public school.”